REEN 2001
Tutorial 1
Questions Only
Question 1
In bioreactors, the growth is autocatalytic in that the more cells you have, the greater the growth rate:
The cell growth rate, rg, and the rate of nutrient consumption, rs, are directly proportional to the
concentration of cells for a given set of conditions.
Given the Levenspiel plot of 1/-rs as a function of nutrient conversion [Xs where Xs = (CS0 –CS)/CS0],
answer the following:
For a nutrient feed rate of 1kg/hr with CS0 = 0.25 g/dm3, what chemostat (CSTR) size is necessary to
achieve:
a) 40% conversion of substrate
b) 80% conversion of substrate
c) What conversion would you achieve with an 80 dm3 CSTR? An 80dm3 PFR?
Question 2
The adiabatic exothermic irreversible gas-phase reaction
2A + B 2C
is to be carried out in a flow reactor for an equimolar feed of A and B. A Levenspiel plot for the reaction
was developed.
a) What PRF volume is necessary to achieve 50% conversion?
b) What CSTR volume is necessary to achieve 50% conversion?
c) What do you think of the Levenspiel plot and your answers to parts a and b?
Questions and Answers
Question 1
In bioreactors, the growth is autocatalytic in that the more cells you have, the greater the growth rate:
The cell growth rate, rg, and the rate of nutrient consumption, rs, are directly proportional to the
concentration of cells for a given set of conditions.
Given the Levenspiel plot of 1/-rs as a function of nutrient conversion [Xs where Xs = (CS0 –CS)/CS0],
answer the following:
For a nutrient feed rate of 1kg/hr with CS0 = 0.25 g/dm3, what chemostat (CSTR) size is necessary to
achieve:
a) 40% conversion of substrate 60dm3
b) 80% conversion of substrate 640dm3
c) What conversion would you achieve with an 80 dm3 CSTR? An 80dm3 PFR? For CSTR, X=55%; For
PFR, X=12%
Question 2
The adiabatic exothermic irreversible gas-phase reaction
2A + B 2C
is to be carried out in a flow reactor for an equimolar feed of A and B. A Levenspiel plot for the reaction
was developed.
a) What PRF volume is necessary to achieve 50% conversion? 150,000 m3
b) What CSTR volume is necessary to achieve 50% conversion? 50,000 m3
c) What do you think of the Levenspiel plot and your answers to parts a and b? Most known
rate laws would not give such a weird shape. The reactor volumes are unrealistic because
they are way too large.